Ukraine reforms national security sector for future membership in EU, NATO – military doctrine

KYIV. Sept 24 (Interfax) – Kyiv considers as a priority task the deepening of cooperation with NATO and the attainment of full compatibility between the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the relevant forces of the alliance’s states by 2020. This is determined by the new version of the Military Doctrine, the text of which was posted on the official website of the Ukrainian president on Thursday.

For instance, according to the document, Ukraine believes that each country has the right to ensure its security through integration in such security structures which meet its interests most of all.

“After the refusal from the non-aligned policy Ukraine is working out new approaches to ensure national security, giving priority to participation in the improvement and development of Euro-Atlantic and European collective security systems. For this Ukraine will integrate into the European political, economic and legal space in order to acquire membership in the European Union, as well as to expand cooperation with NATO to attain criteria required for membership in this organization,” the document said.

With this in view, the doctrine said that the priority task for deepening cooperation with NATO is the attainment of full compatibility between the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the relevant forces of the NATO states by 2020.

The expansion of this cooperation envisions: the development of multilateral relations within modern NATO mechanisms, particularly the joint policy of security and defense with the EU, the Charter on a Distinctive Partnership between NATO and Ukraine, the Partnership for Peace Program, the NATO Operational Capabilities Concept, the Planning and Review Process of the NATO forces and Mediterranean dialogue; reliable implementation of partnership commitments, the assumption of a proportionate share of responsibility in joint operations with NATO, unbiased and transparent analysis of the reforms of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to introduce NATO standards, ensuring the mobility of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the operability of their deployment, provision of the training of the personnel, technical compatibility of weapons, military and special hardware, as well as operational compatibility between the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the NATO states, the document said.